I’ll have a retooled story in the morning paper and posted online in the overnight cycle, too. That differs slightly, cutting out some of the news conference quotes that will be old by morning and adding some comments from my brief one-on-one talk with Gwozdecky after the news conference.

Most significantly, Gwozdecky talked a little more about what he thought of the coaching staff’s work in this, his final season.

DU took a huge step in keeping its home-ice playoff streak alive with Friday’s wild 5-4 victory over North Dakota at Magness Arena. The Pios, who go for the series sweep tonight (7 p.m., Root), climbed into a favorable tie with Wisconsin for the sixth and final WCHA home-ice spot of the 12-team league, in which DU and UND are bolting after this season.

The Pios have a game in hand over UW and also have 11 wins to the Badgers’ 10, so the spot is technically theirs. Five games remain for DU, which visits Minnesota next weekend before hosting Alaska-Anchorage the following week. DU has hosted a first-round WCHA series since 2004.

Check out our game story from Friday’s wild game. The paper version didn’t include quotes; this online version does. Pretty sure that was the longest NCAA non-overtime game I have ever covered.

No changes in DU’s lineup, which can only feature 21 players because the Pios only have 21 players available. Junior forward Jarrod Mermis remains on a leave of absence. Jussi Olkinuora gets another start in net.

The DU Pioneers (15-9-5, 10-7-5 WCHA) haven’t started the playoffs on the road since 2003, but unless they move north in the WCHA standings, they’ll have that 10-year streak snapped. The Pios sit seventh in the 12-team WCHA, two pionts behind No. 6 Wisconsin (13-10-7, 10-7-7), which has played two more games.

DU tonight opens a two-game set against visiting North Dakota (16-8-6, 11-5-6), which is tied for fourth in the WCHA, three points ahead of DU. Looking ahead, DU plays a two-game series at Minnesota next weekend before finishing up with Alaska-Anchorage at Magness Arena on March 8 and March 10.

DU’s Jussi Olkinuora doesn’t like to be called Juho, his real first name, so that’s why I usually refer to him as Jussi in blogs and tweets. It’s like John and Jack, I’m told, in Finland. (At some point he should probably tip off DU’s media folks about his preference).

Anyway, he’s (of course) in goal tonight for the Pios, who host rival Colorado College to begin a home-and-home series. Pretty big story about Olkinuora today in our paper and online. The 22-year-old sophomore and attractive NHL undrafted free agent will oppose Tigers senior Joe Howe, who is 6-7-3 this season and 46-45-9 in his career.

Services for Dr. George Gwozdecky, father of DU hockey coach George Gwozdecky, were today in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Dr. Gwozdecky died peacefully Saturday at age 93, with Coach Gwozdecky by his side. Coach Gwozdecky is scheduled to return to Colorado on Thursday night and rejoin the Pioneers before they host rival Colorado College at Magness Arena on Friday to begin a home-and-home series.

On Monday, former DU forward Joe Casey died in Jackson Hole, Wyo. He was 37. Cause of death has not yet been determined, but the captain of the local senior-A hockey team — who was in good shape — suffered from the flu or another illness last weekend.

The Pioneers swept the Tigers earlier this season and need just one win or a tie to reclaim the Gold Pan, which meant everything to Casey, a hard-nosed role player who was raised in Colorado Springs.

I knew Joe pretty well, far better than a typical relationship with a DU player. He drank a lot of coffee before games and loved to block shots. He was extremely proud to be the Pioneers’ best shot-blocker, and used to tell me about all the shin pads he cracked from doing the dirty work. He was a rugged outdoorsman, a guy’s guy who was respected by everyone he befriended.

(I got to know Joe before games, seeing him in front of the locker room by the coffee stand. It was the best coffee in the building(s), and although it was there for the players, coaches and officials, Joe encouraged me to take what I wanted because it was otherwise going to waste. We both couldn’t live without our coffee at hockey games.)

Joe wore No. 7 for the Pios and played four seasons, from 1996 to 2000 — the tough years before/during/after DU was homeless while Magness Arena was being built after the DU Arena was torn down. Joe scored 12 goals in 38 games as a senior, when the Pioneers went 16-23-2 in what I believe was the third season at Magness Arena. Recruiting had taken a huge hit because the visiting blue-chippers didn’t see much to appreciate while the Pioneers played in front of dull crowds at McNichols Sports Arena, Denver Coliseum, the Air Force Academy and World Arena. Tough times, but Joe was having a blast, completing his dream of playing college hockey.

He went north after college to Jackson Hole, joining its senior-A team, and according to hockeydb.com, he played one season in the Central Hockey League, in 2006-07 for the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees. My deepest sympathies to Joe’s family. He was a real beauty.

Meanwhile, Coach Gwozdecky traveled with his hockey team to Duluth, Minn., on Thursday, and then drove to Thunder Bay on Friday when he learned of his father’s illness. Coach Gwozdecky will return to Denver, and the Pioneers’ bench, for the CC series.

I will be covering Friday’s game, and Adrian Dater is scheduled to work Saturday’s game in Colorado Springs.

Sophomore goalie Jussi Olkinuora made 37 saves tonight and the University of Denver got three goals from the Shore boys (two from freshman Quentin) in a 5-1 victory over Cornell at Magness Arena. Our game story should be up soon at www.denverpost.com/sports.

DU was coming off a 6-0 victory over Boston University. All of a sudden the Pioneers are playing like the team that began 9-1, not the one that took a 0-5-3 skid into Christmas. The Pioneers were 3-of-5 on the power play and 4-of-4 on the PK.

“We forgot part of our game in late November, early December, when we were more worried about scoring than getting the puck to score,” DU coach George Gwozdecky said after his team improved to 4-2 in nonleague games. “It’s tough to get shots on goal when you don’t have the puck. Since Day 1 our game is to pressure everywhere on the ice. Our forecheck, neutral zone, defensive zone are all designed to pressure the puck … Our physical engagement on the puck has been a lot better (lately), and as a result we’re getting more and more pucks up the ice, and we’re playing smarter with the puck.”

Gwoz said he “is leaning towards” giving the Fine Finn Find — the former walk-on/temp goalie — his first back-to-back series starts Saturday for Game 2 against the Big Red.

Comments Off on DU pounds Cornell 5-1; outscored last two opponents 11-1

Just learned tonight’s U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game at Magness Arena is sold out. The DU Pioneers attempt to snap an eight-game winless skid (0-5-3) against the sixth-ranked Boston University Terriers (10-5). Should be a good one.

Sophomore Jussi Olkinuora (3-1-3, 1.92 GAA, .936 save percentage) will be between the DU pipes, and 6-foot-5 freshman Matt O’Connor (7-3, 2.22, .931) is starting for BU. Here’s the DU line chart (freshman F Garrett Allen is out with a finger injury and junior Jarrod Mermis remains deep in coach George Gwozdecky’s dog house). Just a one-game weekend here, folks, before the Pioneers return to traditional college hockey next weekend in a two-game set against visiting Cornell.

Junior forward Jarrod Mermis will return from a one-game, team-imposed suspension but the DU Pioneers will again have just 17 skaters available in tonight’s Game 2 series finale against the Wisconsin Badgers at Magness Arena.

Freshman defenseman Nolan Zajac is scratched with an undisclosed injury. DU has just five healthy D, and seven overall. Sophomore Josiah Didier is out with a high-ankle sprain and will miss his second straight game.

Second-ranked DU blows leads of 3-0 and 4-2 and lose 6-4 to No. 3 New Hampshire tonight at Magness Arena. The Wildcats’ top two centers have hat tricks, with junior Kevin Goumas producing the final three goals. The kid from Long Beach, N.Y., added two assists and was plus-5 on the night with nine shots — six in the third period. Wow.

Second-ranked Pios (9-1) host Yale (3-2-1) tonight at Magness Arena. Only change from Saturday’s 6-2 victory over Colorado College is sophomore Jussi Olkinuora gets the start in the net, with junior Sam Brittain as backup. That means Brittain will get the start Saturday against No. 3 New Hampshire.

University of Denver North Dakota in the second period of the game at Magness Arena in Denver, CO. on Friday, February 24, 2012.

The DU Pioneers (4-0, 2-0 WCHA) have scored five goals in each of their four games and only allowed a combined six. Indeed, this defensive-minded team has been a big surprise in the opponent’s end.

“Our scoring is kind of spread around, throughout the lineup, forwards and defensemen,” DU coach George Gwozdecky said Saturday after his team’s 5-2 series-sweeping victory over Michigan Tech. “It’s been a good start for us. I really, really have to give a lot of credit to our leadership, led by (captain) Paul Phillips. He’s one of those silent leaders . . . Paul and the three guys that are working with him — (Shawn) Ostrow, (Chris) Knowlton and (Nick) Shore — have done an outstanding job preparing this team for the season, making sure (everyone) is held accountable.”

Said Ostrow: “Little different from previous years. We have four lines contributing right now. It’s nice. We don’t rely on the same player every night. Everyone is chipping in.”

Sophomore defenseman Joey LaLeggia continues his all-American campaign. He already has three goals and six points in four games.

“I think we’ve surprised a lot of people these last two weekends,” LaLeggia said. “We’re just going to continue to do the right things, keep working hard.”

Our game story should be up at www.denverpost.com/sports soon. Thanks for reading.

Denver (3-0, 1-0 WCHA) hopes to remain undefeated tonight in its Game 2 series finale against Michigan Tech (2-3, 1-2 WCHA) at Magness Arena. Last night’s game story is here. Couple lineup changes tonight. Senior goalie Adam Murray will start and sophomore netminder Juho Olkinuora will be on the bench for the first time this season, after completing a four-game team-imposed suspension that included the exhibition game against British Columbia. Sophomore Larkin Jacobson also is making his season debut after serving the same suspension for a different reason. DU will again go with seven D and 11 forwards, so either Jarrod Mermis or Grant Arnold will be scratched after warmups. Mermis, a junior, suffered a knee injury in the second period Friday night and is questionable. I was told if he can’t go, Arnold will play. Also, freshman Garrett Allen is scratched, replaced by classmate Gabe Levin.

The University of Denver hockey team hosted Air Force at Magness Arena Saturday night, October 20, 2012. Karl Gehring/ The Denver Post

Junior center Nick Shore had three goals and an assist Friday night in a 5-2 victory over Air Force at Magness Arena. On Dec. 31, Shore’s older brother, Drew Shore, had four points (two goals) in a 7-1 victory at Air Force. Drew Shore signed with the Florida Panthers in April, forgoing his senior year and the opportunity to play with Nick and Quentin Shore, a DU freshman center.

Nick didn’t immediately remember Drew’s four-point night last season. But after thinking about it, he said: “I guess I was trying to match it as much as I could.”

DU improved to 2-0; it beat a solid UMass-Lowell squad 5-1 on opening night Friday. “It’s obviously big for us to get the sweep this weekend,” Nick said. “It’s a great way to start off the year.”

DU center Shawn Ostrow worked against River Hawk defenseman Chad Ruhwedel in the second period. The University of Denver hockey team hosted UMass Lowell at Magness Arena Friday, Oct. 19, 2012.

Good showing from the No. 7-ranked DU Pioneers in their home-opener Friday at Magness Arena. No. 10 Massachusetts-Lowell is a good team, but the Pioneers drew back-to-back penalties in the third period and scored twice, including a dandy from freshman defenseman Nolan Zajac on a 5-on-3 8:35 into the third period to make it 3-1. Defenseman David Makowski added a 5-on-4 power play and sophomore wing Danny Doremus scored his second goal of the game to turn it into a rout.

DU led 2-1 after two periods but was outplayed for much of the final 10 minutes in the middle frame.

“Overall good win against a team like UMass is huge. Pretty close game,” Doremus said. “They (got) within one goal and we came out strong in the third. It was just a big game for us, to start the season off good against such a strong team.”

Excited about hockey season, and excited about our DU story pegged for Thursday’s paper.

Freshman defenseman Nolan Zajac is the son of former Pioneer Tom Zajac (1973-76), but two of Nolan’s older brothers, Travis and Darcy, played at rival North Dakota, and a third brother, Kelly, concluded a four-year career at Union College last spring. Of course, Travis Zajac is a top-six forward for the New Jersey Devils.

I have so much good stuff, but not all of it will fit in the paper, so here’s some leftovers:

The Zajacs are from Winnipeg, Manitoba, and certainly all four boys had great opportunities to play in the Canadian Hockey League (major-junior). But Tom is thrilled to see all of them go to college.

“Hockey is a tough game to make it in. I think the boys, or girls, have to have something to fall back on,” he said. “I think the atmosphere of going to school and playing hockey for their school is something I wanted them to enjoy, just like I enjoyed.”

Tom said he didn’t encourage Nolan to choose DU. Rather, it was a coincidence.

“I left it up to Nolan, where he thought he fits in the best. I know when he went to visit DU he came back and said, ‘I don’t need to look at anyone else.'” North Dakota recruited Nolan, his father said, but his son never took an official visit to Grand Forks. “All of us just told him to make sure you go to a place you fit in and and a place you’re going to play.”

Nolan realizes he might catch some grief when DU visits UND for a series Dec. 7-8.

“Great place to play, good team, and it’s close to home, so I’ll have a lot of friends and family,” he said.

Because of next Tuesday’s presidential debate at Magness Arena, DU has evacuated its Murray Armstrong Hockey Complex (locker room, lounge, etc.) and is practicing at Joy Burns Arena on the Pioneers’ campus and using the Avalanche facility at Family Sports Center in Centennial.

The Secret Service owns Magness Arena right now, and will continue to do so until after the Pioneers’ Oct. 6 exhibition game against British Columbia at the Pepsi Center.

Meanwhile, the rebuilding Pioneers were picked to finish third by the media in the final year of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association as we know it.

Really enjoyed covering the Pioneers the last three nights. Terrific hockey all three nights. Man, college hockey is a lot faster than when I was last a DU beat writer, back in the early ’90s. The quality of play was truly outstanding in this series, with the games as even as they could be. The Pioneers proved just a little bit better in the end, winning the series 2-1 on Luke Salazar’s overtime goal tonight. That’s him above.

DU hockey radio dude Jay Stickney, maybe the funniest person in the world, is doing the play-by-play for Root tonight in the Pioneers’ game against North Dakota at Magness Arena.

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DU radio dude Jay Stickney, my hero

Quick notes for DU. If the Pios lose, they’ll be swept in a WCHA series for the first time in 54 series, since November 2008 at St. Cloud State. Freshman Juho Olkinuora is in the nets for DU. He last played Feb. 4 at CC, a 2-2 tie.

Taylor Dickin is out for UND, injured last night. Sioux third-string goalie Tate Maris of Denver is the only extra Sioux player and he is not in the lineup. UND is going with 19 players.

UND wins 4-3 tonight at Magness Arena in a game that was only close in the final minute. DU’s Drew Shore, Joey LaLeggia and Jason Zucker scored in the final 5:26, the latter two at 47 seconds and 11 seconds.

“It’s hard to say anything good about that game. You can say yeah, we scored (three goals), but you have to give full credit to North Dakota. They were better than us in every department,” DU coach George Gwozdecky said. “This is probably one of the most difficult interviews I’ve had to do in a long time because I’m extremely disappointed.”

UND cruised to a 2-0 lead after two periods and 4-0 advantage by 8:18 of the third period. For a full game story, visit www.denverpost.com/sports.

Terry Frei graduated from Wheat Ridge High School in the Denver area and has degrees in history and journalism from the University of Colorado-Boulder. He worked for the Rocky Mountain News while attending CU and joined the Post staff after graduation. He has also worked at the Oregonian in Portland, Ore., and The Sporting News. His seventh book, March 1939: Before the Madness, was issued in February 2014.